Bad Day at Dardenne Prairie

The Case for a New Megan's Law

The death of Megan Meier is a stark example of how far our laws lag behind internet technology. Immediate Federal intervention is required to prevent similar tragedies.

On October 16, 2006, 13-year-old Megan Meier committed suicide after exchanging a series of messages with someone she thought was a romantic teenage admirer named "Josh". But "Josh" was actually the parents of an ex-best friend of Megan's with whom Miss Meier had had a falling out. The perpetrators of this internet hoax first gained Megan's affection, and then bombarded her with increasingly insulting messages, culminating with the statement that "the world would be a better place without you," as reported in a November 17, 2007 Chicago Tribune online article.

According to a November 17, 2007 CBS News article online, Megan Meier suffered from depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She was on medication, and, according to her parents, was doing well before her experience on MySpace drove her to hang herself in a closet.

Megan lived in Dardenne Prairie, Missouri, a town of 7,000 outside of St. Louis. According to The Tribune, Megan's story did not become well known until a local newspaper, The Suburban Journal, published a story on the case last week.

I like small towns; I've lived in a couple of them. Life is slower and people are generally friendlier. There's usually less noise, and you tend to sleep better than in a big city. But these seemingly idyllic places can have a dark underside: small-minded people. I can think of a couple of former small-town neighbors who are capable of doing what Megan's ex-friend's parents did. When hateful, immature adults exact revenge on a child, anything can happen.

According to news reports, Megan's parents were attentive to her needs. They monitored her activities on MySpace, and when she became upset about "Josh", ordered her to discontinue her correspondence.